Indefatigable Choge eyes ‘top cop’ status

Former world junior 5,000 metres champion Augustine Choge hopes to be in the limelight, yet again, this weekend at the National Police Service Cross Country Championships at the Ngong Racecourse.

Choge, who is seeking to retain his title he won last year, has been sharpening his skills in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, ahead of the big day.

Choge will face it off with Keringet-based athlete Emmanuel Bett, who has won two races in the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Championships series in Sotik and Nyahururu this season.

Bett, who represented Kenya at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships in Poland and 2014 Africa Cross Country Championships in Kampala, said that he is in top shape and also eying glory on Saturday.

“I have done enough training and having competed in the Athletics Kenya series and won in two, I believe I will do well and be on the podium this weekend,” said Bett.

He added that he is “not fearing anyone” given that the race will have big names in athletics and that he will be using the race as a preparation for the Africa Cross Country Championships to be held in Algeria.

“I will be looking forward to be in the team for the Africa Cross Country Championships in Algeria because last time I was in sixth position in the junior category. I want to run well in the trials next month but first I must do well on Saturday,” said Bett.

Stiff competition is expected in the race for Choge and Bett, however, as two-time world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor will be using the race to gauge his form this season.

Kamworor is seeking to retain his title at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships for the third time in Valencia, Spain, in March.

“I will be participating in the race this weekend but I will be using it as training because I will be seeking to retain my title for the third time in Valencia,” said Kamworor.